Returning Home
by Scott-Sparr
Summary: This is my first ever fanfic, I should have all the chapters up within a week or so if all goes well. Please enjoy. This story takes place in the Grey Havens at the end of Return Of The King.
1. Chapter 1: Hide and Seek In the Havens

Returning Home  
  
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A story by Scott Sparr  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Hide and Seek in the Havens  
  
A sleeping hobbit lay motionless beneath the tall, sturdy trunk of a white willow tree while flowers of gold and grass of green danced all around him. The hobbit's face, stained with mud, held an innocent smile. A small weed peeped out of the hobbit's teeth.  
  
"Sam!" a voice called from behind a few bushes. The sleeping hobbit did not budge. Laughing, the voice called out once more, this time from beside the sleeping hobbit. "Sam, you old sleepy head, wake up!"  
  
Slowly opening his heavy eyes, Sam quickly remembered where he was and immediately jumped up. Brushing off his chest, the warm smile had left his face.  
  
"Oh…hullo, I'm sorry, master Frodo, but the pesky forest fairies sung their lullaby's and I couldn't help it." Said Sam nervously as he rubbed his eyes profusely. Frodo was standing in front of him, smiling with a peaceful feeling all about him. Frodo's head was slightly angled as he looked on Sam with a questionable gaze. He shook the feeling off.  
  
"It's all right, Sam, but I've found it, I've found the button! That means it is now your turn to find the button after I hide it." Frodo said anxiously as he extended his arm forward and opened his hand to reveal a large bright red button. Sam reluctantly took the button from Frodo's hand and began to speak quickly.  
  
"Oh, I've never been good at this game o' yours, Frodo. Finding the button is always the hardest part. Do you think maybe I could hide it again and you look for it, instead? I'm gettin' very tired from the voices of the fairies and I should like to rest some more." Sam said, trying to keep his eyes open. Frodo's serious glance returned, but was shook off once more.  
  
At that, Frodo laughed again. "Ahh…Sam Gamgee, if that wasn't just Bilbo's words coming from you mouth! Frodo paused and look at Sam, realizing that he seemed to look more tired than usual. "Okay, Sam." He laughed once more. "Let's go back home."  
  
Sam and Frodo gathered their packs and began the long hike through the forest to return to their shire-styled home in what is commonly called the Grey Havens. This forest was as many shades of green as one could think of and had anyone ever wondered in, they became peaceful and were cured of any weariness.  
  
"Frodo, do you think that sometime you should ever like to return to the shire, if only for a day or two?" Sam asked suddenly, still looking at the ground. "I know I could find quite a good many tales to tell my great grandsons and granddaughters." Frodo's smile quickly vanished from his muddy face. Frodo looked up from the ground and gazed at the treetops as his curly hair dangled like grass in the wind just above his eyes. Sam halted and turned to Frodo, yet remained silent, as Frodo continued walking and passed him by.  
  
After a long pause, Frodo sighed, turned, and his gaze met Sam's, he spoke slowly.  
  
"I don't think I would want anything more, my dear Sam."  
  
With that, the two hobbits, who were very young at heart here in the havens, continued their long walk in a silence. Whether the silence was due to recently discovered desire to return to their old home in the shire, or the two hobbits had simply become tired from the singing of the forest fairies, I do not rightly know.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2 A Comfortable Surprise COMING SOON 


	2. Chapter 2: A Comfortable Surprise

Returning Home  
  
------------------------------------------  
  
A story by Scott Sparr  
  
Chapter 2  
  
A Comfortable Surprise  
  
  
  
Quite a long time had passed, and the two hobbits were near the end of the trail that led out of the forest.  
  
"Well…Sam, let us not thing of such things, the Shire seems to be lost in the past with me. I can't…"  
  
Frodo suddenly halted, keeping his focus on the ground ahead of him. Sam became confused and alert.  
  
"Can't what, master Frodo?" Sam asked, as he too, halted.  
  
"Nothing, it's nothing, Sam." Frodo mumbled, but Sam knew something was wrong and that Frodo was deeply troubled.  
  
"I only fear that…perhaps, things have changed in the Shire." Frodo added in a questionable tone.  
  
"I suppose you're right, Frodo." Sam whispered under a long breath. "I suppose you're right."  
  
That was the last word spoken before a deep silence fell upon the two hobbits for a great deal of their trip to Haven Circle, where the two lived with Bilbo, here in the havens.  
  
Trees seemed to mock their silence and the sun shone through various holes in an endless roof of trees. All the while, leaves blew past them, as if in a hurry to return to their trees.  
  
This place was never cold, nor hot, only comfortably warm all of the time. During the night, the sky became pitch black and stars lined along the skies endless fields of darkness. The day brought, not a crystal blue sky, but a gray coat of warmth that blanketed everything it could reach. Finally the two hobbits began to see the town of Haven Circle through cracks in the bushes and gaps between trees, and Sam now felt as though he had awakened from a long summer nap.  
  
"Ahh...'twas a great game, Frodo, but I am glad to be back again, anyway." Sam said suddenly, with a clear and refreshed feeling in his voice. But Frodo did not respond, he continued staring at the ground, as if something had forcefully grabbed his attention and refused to let go. Sam glanced at Frodo and realized that he was still uneasy.  
  
"Fro…" Sam began to speak but was interrupted by a loud chime of bells dancing in a tower a ways North. At this time, old Bilbo came riding on a small pony from behind a row of bushes toward Sam and Frodo. The small pony seemed to be carrying a very heavy burden, at the least, four bags.  
  
"Why, Frodo and Sam, if it isn't you two bumbling around in the forest again, fighting fairies, I suppose?" Bilbo laughed as he trotted up to the two tired hobbits.  
  
Sam began to answer, but was interrupted by Bilbo once more.  
  
"At any rate, you might as well, head back home, I'm going into the forest for some berries, I can't stand a cake without my berries. I'll be back as soon as I get a few."  
  
And with that, Bilbo trotted off, humming merrily to himself.  
  
"I do believe the havens haven't changed old Bilbo a bit, Master Frodo." Sam said as he watched Bilbo trot down the very path that he and Frodo had taken out of the forest.  
  
"But why does he have so many bags, berry-pickin's no hard task..."  
  
Frodo had made his way over to a small stump a few feet from Sam, and was sitting quietly with a serious, yet vacant look on his small, mud-stained face.  
  
Frodo was staring nervously towards the east, over tall bushes of green and wild flowers of yellow and red rising up to greet the fresh air.  
  
"Frodo?" Sam whispered turning his glance immediately to Frodo. Seeing that Frodo was gazing east, Sam quickly turned in the direction Frodo was staring. "What do you see, Frodo? All I see are the bushes, here." Sam whispered to himself.  
  
Suddenly, Sam felt the warmth of a hand placed up his right shoulder and he turned nervously.  
  
"No orcs in the havens." He thought to himself.  
  
It was Gandalf, standing there all in white with a light radiating all about him. In one hand, he held is staff and in the other was a very large brown book.  
  
"Frodo cannot see what he desires with his eyes alone, for, only his mind can penetrate this distance. And his mind, I fear, is not without a loss, either" Gandalf answered, moving his glance from the shaken Frodo to Sam.  
  
"Dear Gandalf! I hardly saw you coming!" Sam exclaimed, temporarily forgetting about Frodo's unease.  
  
Gandalf smiled, though even old Sam could tell that the smile was only for show, Gandalf knew Frodo was troubled, and he, indeed, knew of what troubled the hobbit so.  
  
At long last, Frodo finally spoke, though his eyes still gazed east. "I do want to return, Sam, I do."  
  
"Oh, Come now, Master Frodo. I was only dreaming of the shire because of the sweet songs of those pesky fairies in the forest. It was a trick of the mind those old fairies were playing on me. Surely, you know I meant nothin' by it." Sam said, walking over to Frodo, taking a seat next to him, and placing his hand upon Frodo's cold Shoulder.  
  
Frodo spoke again, this time, louder and with a clear tone. "The fairies did not make me feel this way, Sam, I hope to return to the Shire, if only for a few days, just as you spoke of doing."  
  
Sam removed his hand, but before he could speak, he was interrupted by the wise voice of Gandalf.  
  
"What has made you think of such things in recent time, Dearest Frodo." Gandalf asked, finding a seat next to Sam and placing his book on a pile of dead leaves.  
  
"Why do you desire to return after all this time."  
  
Frodo did not respond, but lowered his head into his hands and began to weep.  
  
At this point, Sam felt his heart break into a thousand pieces and shatter against his own will. Though he wanted to cry out for Frodo, Sam was paralyzed by what Frodo had said. He could not understand why Frodo had no memory of the Shire or its beauty.  
  
"Do not try to understand Frodo's loss of memory, Sam, it is only a result of the rings power over him for so long and the havens' way of healing him. The ring brought pain to Frodo because he became nearly one with it, just as Bilbo nearly did. Neither could have parted with it alone. The havens change your mind's past and allow pain to be forgotten, Frodo has loss much of his memory because of this.  
  
"I only know what dear Sam tells me, I don't know why he has not lost the memory of the shire, but I have. The memory became fainter everyday, and now I only know that I once lived in its beauty. I want to see it again, I want to feel the shire again, I wish to be there again, if only for a while, to gain my memory of it."  
  
Gandalf was still facing east, away from Frodo and Sam.  
  
  
  
Sam stood silent while he soaked up what he understood of this. Frodo's weeping could still be heard from his covered face.  
  
Sam stared at Frodo and for a second, in his mind, he saw Frodo sick on his bed as he was after the Shire was saved.  
  
Sam could take no more of Frodo's pain, he knew of only one thing. He and Frodo must travel back to the Shire.  
  
"Gandalf! We must go, somehow, if it's a visit master Frodo wants, it's a visit he'll get." Sam said, standing up and brushing his long, curly hair back with a long breath.  
  
Silence fell over the scene, Frodo's weeping ceased and he looked to Sam with the same look he had given him on Mt. Anduin so many years ago.  
  
Gandalf turned towards Sam and smiled. It was almost as if Gandalf knew this would happen and had prepared for it years.  
  
"Thank you, Sam." Frodo whispered, and Sam did not hear these words. Though Gandalf now turned to Frodo.  
  
"You're a great comfort, Sam." Frodo said at long last.  
  
"But wait a minute, that means that Bilbo has lost his memory of the shire, too." Frodo said standing up and looking on Gandalf with great curiosity.  
  
"You don't need bags for foraging berries." Gandalf answered as he placed his hand on Frodo's shoulder with gleam in his eyes. "Bilbo has gone to the coast." 


	3. Chapter 3: Darkness of the Fairy Forest

Returning Home  
  
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A story by Scott Sparr  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Darkness of the Fairy Forest.  
  
  
  
  
  
About two hours had passed since Sam, Frodo and, Gandalf's talk of returning to the shire; and Bilbo was still trotting through the forest trail on his pony, Rainestar. Bilbo had gone quite deep into the forest and the sun had begun to set over the tallest trees in the west. The forest's darkness had begun to creep in all around poor old Bilbo.  
  
"Oh, what is keeping Gandalf? Bilbo asked himself nervously looking behind him.  
  
"I wonder if he is still with Frodo and Sam. He has probably told them where I am going, I bet they will be very surprised that I'm not picking berries way out here in the forest…" He said to himself.  
  
Bilbo dismounted and gave his pony a pet on its smooth back. Looking around, he made his way to a tree trunk and sat in its sheltered grasp. Rummaging through his pockets he felt his pipe and a fresh roll of Haven- weed.  
  
After a bit of a smoke, Bilbo felt very comfortable. "Aahh…Old boy" he said glancing at Rainestar,  
  
"I bet you're used to this forest." He said with a small laugh. "I've never been this far out here, that old Gandalf told me to stay on this trail and to stop only for small breaks." I don't mind the trees, but the silence gets to me." He added with a small sigh.  
  
Bilbo suddenly felt anxious and halted his speedch, something was a not right, Bilbo nervously gazed at the forest's dark corners. His gaze was interrupted by the sound of heavy footsteps that sounded as a distant rumbling.  
  
Bilbo froze in his place.  
  
The footsteps were heard again, this time heavier and Bilbo could hear twigs crack with the steps. Even louder, the footsteps continued, the very ground had begun to shake with the last step.  
  
"W-Who's..there?" Bilbo asked the darkened forest.  
  
"Is that you, Gandalf?" Bilbo asked again.  
  
Out of thin air, a shady black object appeared to Swing at Bilbo with blinding speed and hit him in the gut, sending him tumbling backwards and sending his pipe flying off to the side into the bushes beside the tree. Bilbo did not feel this blow; everything had become numb. A loud wave blurred and spread across the forest, changing the trees to mounds of fire, and Bilbo, though barely conscious, could feel heat all around him. He saw that all of the forest now glowed with an orange tint. It was then that Bilbo saw a giant shadow shaped of a knight holding a mace and extending his arm towards Bilbo.  
  
"Help! Bilbo screamed aloud, though he could not move, nor feel his entire body. The arm was getting closer, the heat was becoming more intense and the flames rose up all around him.  
  
Bilbo screamed once more.  
  
"Gandalf!" and his scream stretched on until he could feel cold breath upon his face and saw eyes of doomed red staring back at him.  
  
Suddenly and unexpectedly, the giant shadow drew back a few feet and raised his mase high into the air with a sharp growl. Bilbo screamed out once more as the mace began to swing down at him again, this time with greater speed.  
  
"Help! Gandalf!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Suddenly Bilbo found himself sitting under the tree again and Rainestar drinking out of a nearby pond. The forest was very dark now. Bilbo did not know what to think of what had happened. And with that, Bilbo became aware of the small fire on his shirt from his pipe.  
  
With a yelp, Bilbo leapt up, ran to the pond, nearly knocking the poor pony over, and jumped in. It was then that Bilbo realized he had been dreaming. He was quite relieved, but very angry at the pesky forest fairies for playing such a trick over him.  
  
"Grrmm…Gandalf told me to avoid falling asleep in this forest…the forest fairies can control dreams."  
  
He muttered angrily to himself as he climbed out of the pond. "These forest fairies play dirty tricks…" he thought. Despite his remaining shock and rage, Bilbo could not keep his laughter back, he began to laugh to himself.  
  
"Monsters in the Grey Havens?" Bilbo said sarcastically with a giggle as he paced to his pony and mounted him.  
  
"Ahhh…" Bilbo seemed quite refreshed after his nap, even if it brought dark dreams.  
  
'Perhaps Frodo will now be coming along. After all, he, too, grew close to that ring.'  
  
Bilbo thought to himself . He paused. "That ring." He muttered. And without thining, Bilbo found himself looking east. Though trees blocked his site, he still could not turn himself from the direction.  
  
"That ring…" Bilbo said again, this time he forced himself to look away. Uneasy, Bilbo walked towards Rainestar and mounted him quickly.  
  
"Let's go find the coast, old boy, Gandalf will be show up, as he always does, unexpected and much awaited for."  
  
Bilbo tugged at the hassle and with an encouraging "Get'p, Rainestar" from Bilbo, Rainestar began trotting forward, though the young pony looked weary.  
  
  
  
Bilbo and Rainestar had not gone but a few feet when he became a rustling in the forest off to his left.  
  
"No monsters, only fairies…" Bilbo muttered to himself, immediately forcing his attention to the ground below him.  
  
"Only fairies..." He said again, this time louder. And Bilbo pressed on, ignoring the noise and whatever creature was making it.  
  
At this point, Bilbo was only afraid that he was sleeping again, and the fairies had another terrible dream creature in store for him.  
  
"I wish Gandalf were here..." Bilbo thought again as he kept his eyes on the ground ahead of him.  
  
"I have a terrible feeling about this forest, Rainestar." Bilbo said looking up from the ground and staring blankly of the trail ahead of him, leading towards the coast.  
  
The trees had slowly transformed from tall, lively green statues swinging to and fro, to giant, pillars of darkness that blended with the darkness and seemed to stare down at him with dismal and pity. The ever- changing shades of green from the tall bushes, wild grass and massive trees in the forest were now simply darkened shadows to Bilbo.  
  
"I think we're getting close, Rainestar, I can smell the coast's fragrance getting stronger."  
  
Bilbo said.  
  
Another few minutes passed silently as Bilbo, riding the young pony, Rainestar, continued to trot through the dark forest to the awaiting coast. The trees had become less numerous and the bushes seemed to get smaller and smaller, the tall grass, short and shorter. The sweet smell of the coast became stronger with each step that young Rainestar took.  
  
Bilbo began to notice that poor Rainestar's steps had become slower and the young pony seemed to pant. Bilbo dismounted quickly, and felt his pockets for his large canteen. There it was, next to his pipe. Bilbo opened the canteen poured water into his hand and gave Rainestar several drinks, until he was refreshed. Then Bilbo, even more anxious to get out of the forest, hopped back on the young pony and continued on his trip.  
  
Bilbo petted Rainestar on his sturdy neck and whispered softly to the pony. "There there, Rainestar, your journey is almost over, but mine will only begin with the sight of the coast."  
  
Another few moments had passed in darkness and silence when, at last, the dirt trail ended to a large wooden fence covered in moss. Two final trees stood tall at each end of the fence, as if guarding it from the inside. The fence had not been visited in years, perhaps decades, Bilbo knew after traveling through the Fairy Forest, why it had not been used.  
  
The forest's darkness ends here, Rainestar!" Bilbo said anxiously as he hopped off the tired pony and ran towards the tall fence with his curly hair waving in the wind and long coat dragging on the ground. Bilbo had lost all fear of the forest though he had not escaped it yet.  
  
Bilbo rolled up his sleeves and pushed on the heavy gate door, sending it swinging open. Almost immediately after doing so, he paced to Rainestar, took hold of the pony's saddle and walked beside the pony through the newly opened gate.  
  
As soon as the two had passed through the gate, its door suddenly slammed hard, causing Rainestar to speed off in panic and at this Bilbo lost his balance and fell to the ground. He could hear Rainestar dashing off onto the coast with great speed. Yet he knew that losing his pony was not his only concern as of now. In an instant, Bilbo became very weak and very tired. He felt his eyelids slowly close and he could not control them.  
  
Everything became dull and quiet, and then dark. Bilbo thought he had again slipped into the grasp of the forest fairies. 


	4. Chapter 4: The Journey Begins

Returning Home  
  
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A story by Scott Sparr  
  
Chapter 4  
  
1 The Journey Begins  
  
  
  
An even longer time had passed, and the darkness of the night and of the forest was behind Bilbo, and though he was unconscious, Bilbo could feel cozy warmth all around him. The sky was a gray blanket except for a few hints of light blue peeking through clouds that seemed miles high in the sky. Gandalf had already told Frodo and Sam of Bilbo's true purpose in the forest.  
  
"Bilbo!" Frodo screamed as he ran suddenly to the motionless body lying in sand and dirt a few feet from the large wooden gate. With Gandalf and Sam walking steadily behind him, Frodo shook Bilbo aggressively, unaware of the fact that Rainestar was no longer with him.  
  
"Bilbo is not hurt, he is merely dreaming, not terribly uncommon for the forest. Gandalf said giving Frodo a stern look.  
  
"And this is Bilbo we speak of." Gandalf added with a smile.  
  
"The forest fairies have most likely overpowered his consciousness, for some reason, it is a rare sight, but in great numbers, these fairies can do such things." Gandalf said slowly.  
  
Frodo was greatly relieved.  
  
"Sam, fetch your canteen, I need fresh water to wake old Bilbo up." Frodo said calmly, holding Bilbo's head in his lap. Frodo was relieved to see Bilbo was not hurt, though he still felt anxious. Suddenly Bilbo began to mutter in his sleep.  
  
"The…sail has fallen…we won't make…it back home…stop." He muttered.  
  
Gandalf's eyes widened.  
  
"What's he saying, Frodo?" Sam asked as he brought his canteen to Frodo and kneeled down beside Bilbo.  
  
"I don't understand it…" Frodo replied, opening the canteen and sprinkling water on Bilbo's face. Suddenly Bilbo's eyes opened wide, and he began kicking and screaming,  
  
"Help! I can't breathe, I'm drowning, Help me!" He screamed violently.  
  
"I can't…" Bilbo stopped as he became aware of his surroundings. Bilbo was first confused, and now became angry as Sam, Frodo and Gandalf still stood still, watching him in disbelief.  
  
Bilbo was full of rage; the fairies had played another trick on him. He felt his anger swelling up in the pit of his stomach and it slowly grew and crept to his mind. Bilbo stood up and began shaking his fists at the trees, without saying a word.  
  
Despite the situation, this was a very comical sight.  
  
Frodo and Sam began to speak, especially Frodo, but Gandalf hushed them quickly.  
  
"Let Bilbo relieve his anger and confusion as he must. Gandalf said sternly, looking to Sam and Frodo again.  
  
"Though, I believe the fairies are not as evil as they seem, perhaps they meant to warn Bilbo of returning to the shire and could only do so in one final attempt before he made it out of the forest." He continued with a slightly lighter tone in his wise voice.  
  
"Well, Gandalf, if the fairies meant to keep Mr. Bilbo from getting' to the coast, then why did they leave us be and go without trying to steer us out too?" Sam asked, rising to his feet and brushing the sand off his pants.  
  
"Because most fairies fear wizards, or any other being with magic, they most likely ignored us because of my presence. Though, I now realize that Bilbo's experience with the fairies may not be as terrible as you think, Samwise."  
  
Bilbo was throwing coconuts over the large wooden gate, at the large trees of the forest. Finally, Bilbo regained himself and began to walk towards Frodo, Gandalf, and Sam, who had stopped talking at begun to watch him closely.  
  
"Gandalf, I do not think I like this forest anymore, I think I should not like it to walk through it again without your aid." Bilbo said still walking towards the three.  
  
Gandalf's eyes became narrow and he made no response to Bilbo's words, and it grew very quiet among the four.  
  
Finally, Sam, the only one of the four whom did not have a great many things on his mind, broke the silence.  
  
"When will we be going, I don't see anything that could take us to the shire, unless we've all brought our swimming clothes." Sam said in an unsure tone.  
  
Gandalf took no notice of Sam, and began to carefully examine Bilbo once again.  
  
Frodo looked on Gandalf with curious gleam in his eyes, and finally Sam could no longer take the silence.  
  
"Gandalf, when and how will we be making our way to the shire, there's no boat!" Sam began to feel very uneasy, and he brushed through his hair with his muddy hands.  
  
At that moment, as if Sam made it appear through a wish of some sort, a large grayish-brown ship appeared from out of a deep fog on the sea.  
  
Gandalf paid no notice of the boat, though the others all stared in amazement at the large ship.  
  
"Bilbo, I do not think the fairies meant any harm, and if harm they gave, perhaps, it is a much smaller danger than what you shall face on the journey to the shire. You have mistaken them for a beast. They are only trying to protect you, Bilbo."  
  
Bilbo did not speak, Sam mumbled to himself, and Frodo looked up at Gandalf, with a desperate looks, as if Gandalf had said something that Frodo had hoped he would not say.  
  
"Why do you speak as if you're not coming along, Gandalf?" Frodo asked, his eyes ever fixed on Gandalf.  
  
Sam looked up to Gandalf after Frodo did the same, and both seemed seconds away from fear. Gandalf remained quiet but made a deep sigh.  
  
"Because I am not going, I cannot go, this is not my journey. Come along, and steady yourselves, you have a very long way to go! Gandalf said sternly as he walked away from them, towards the shore whence the boat was approaching swiftly.  
  
Bilbo, Frodo, and Sam, in that order, began to follow at a slightly slower pace, unsure of their trip now, more than ever. Sam began to have second thoughts of the whole idea. He wanted more than anything to help his friends, especially Frodo, on their trip, but a powerful fear overcame him.  
  
Sam stopped suddenly without saying a word. His body became numb and though he wanted to, he could not bring himself to take any steps further. Sam could only stare at the creaky old boat on the shore. The sand was now colder then ever between his hairy toes, and his curly brownish hair dangled in the breeze.  
  
Frodo then noticed that Sam had stopped was no longer right behind him, he turned to look behind to find Sam. Frodo's eyes darted to the ground and then to Sam's feet, and Frodo's eyes slowly made their way to Sam's. Frodo forced a smile out.  
  
  
  
At the sight of Frodo's clearly false smile, Sam instantly overcame his fear, and pushed himself to take a step. Bilbo and Gandalf were already many yards ahead of the two; they were now very near to the boat, while Sam and Frodo were still standing in the middle of the cold, gray beach.  
  
"Are you okay, Sam?" Frodo asked slowly.  
  
"I am, Frodo, I was only admirin' the view of the boat, that's all." Sam said with a quick smile after thinking for a moment about Frodo's question.  
  
Frodo smiled back and laughed. Sam walked to Frodo and the two continued the walk to the boat. By the time the two reached the boat, Gandalf and Bilbo had already boarded vanished into a room on the boat. Frodo and Sam climbed the ramp onto the boat and met with Bilbo and Gandalf in the small room.  
  
Bilbo was lying down on a small cot with bright red sheets, and Gandalf was standing by the door of the room with an impatient look all about him. When Frodo and Sam entered the room, Gandalf spoke quickly.  
  
"I have seen to it that you arrived safely on the boat. Please do not mistake my leave as a sign of weakness, but as an expression of strength. I cannot return to the shire, it is quite hard for me to abandon such a dream, but I must. Goodbye!"  
  
And with that, Gandalf hastily walked out of the room and down the ramp. As soon as he had done so, the ramp vanished in an instant and the boat began to slowly pull away from the shore.  
  
And so, the journey of Bilbo, Frodo and Sam began.  
  
  
  
Chapter 5 "DARKNESS" coming very soon! 


End file.
